The Guild Wars 2 Facebook Page announces plans for a four-hour stress test today for Guild Wars 2, though this may not be a smooth experience due to how they are doing this (thanks VG247). Here's word:

We will be conducting a stress test on Thursday, August 2 from 12:00 Noon PACIFIC Time to 4:00 PM PACIFIC Time.

Unlike previous stress tests, we will be actively working on the game during the event, so you might experience connectivity problems or discover features that are not working as designed. Any issues you experience are a result of the rigorous conditions of the stress test, and are in no way representative of the state of the game at launch. By participating in this stress test, you’re helping us make Guild Wars 2 a better game. Thanks for your cooperation—we’ll see you in-game! ~RB2

Verno wrote on Aug 2, 2012, 11:19:Greenmangaming had this on their site the other day and you could use coupon codes with it. I think the one I used expired at the end of July but ended up getting this for like $45 which is a pretty good deal IMO considering there's no monthly subs and the game seems fairly meaty.

I thought it was a blast, enough riffs on the usual MMORPG stuff so that veterans are comfortable but enough new innovations to keep things interesting. I really liked their take on out of party co-operative play, its something that MMOs in general have needed for a long time. The events that unfold around you run the gamut from usual escort stuff to holy fuck world boss with 200 people fighting and all sorts of crazy shit going on. The PvP was a total hoot too and you can earn exp for leveling and stuff that way which was nice.

My big concern is that the launch might blow up in their face. Most of their stress tests have been in the ten to hundred thousand player marks and sim tests only take you so far. They really should just have a truly open beta for a few days to play it safe. Blizzard thought they had the Diablo 3 launch nailed and look how that turned out.

The game is 100% recycled MMO fads, there is nothing it adds to the genre, just piles on the stuff people expect to see.

The 'cooperative play' was already done, and done 100% better in WAR. GW2s version of running around getting experience on events with people isn't immersion, it's gimmicky and requires no cooperation at all. Higher level quests only numbers, not strategy. And character build doesn't matter, because there is no character specialization at all which is what made GW1 a gem.

GW2 is a bland game on many fronts. People may slog through it for a couple months at best if they try real hard to want to like it.

I dunno I happen to like how GW2 handles dynamic events better than WAR, and that you're not kill stealing from others, and on large events how that everyone that contributes gets rewarded. Oh and the different skills depending on weapons equiped. Oh and the friendly level down mentor system that lets you help lower leveled friends catch up while not being over powered in a low lvl area. And that's just a couple examples of things I like about the game.

Just because you for whatever reason want to hate on GW2, doesn't mean you speak for every experienced gamer. GW2 may not be revolutionary, but it does a hell of a lot right and is imo extremely polished, with no monthly fee. So yeah, feel free to hate it, that's your opinion and all, and I'll feel free to think you're an idiot. Deal?